


Brotherhood

by heffermonkey



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Death References, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-13
Updated: 2013-03-13
Packaged: 2017-12-05 05:05:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/719190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heffermonkey/pseuds/heffermonkey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alternative end/beginning to S2 & S3</p><p>Danny begins the legal fight to keep Grace in Hawaii.  Steve has to deal with the fact his mother has been alive for the last seventeen years of his life.  Chin deals with a wife in ICU.  Max is released from hospital and finds himself taken under the wing of Kamekona.  And on top of it all, these men have to deal with the death of Kono.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brotherhood

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this last year in the middle of the break between S2 & S3. Not entirely sure I'm happy with the result, but it's been gathering dust in a folder so I've decided to share.

_The sweetest support is found in the most intimate friendship._

~

Danny had dropped Grace home to a frosty reception. Rachel had barely spoken a word, civil enough in front of their daughter, but she wasn't happy. Danny had shrugged, struggling to understand why she thought he'd just let this slide. That he'd back off and let her leave Hawaii, following them like a lost puppy. How many times did Rachel expect him to have to give everything up? He was allowed to have a life as well as devote himself to Grace. He'd left Jersey, his family, his friends, everything, to come to Hawaii. He just wasn't prepared to give it all up and start again in Vegas. 

He didn't see why he should have too.

He gave Grace a kiss and hug, told her he'd see her soon, bid Rachel a swift goodbye and pulled away before he could get into a battle of words. Things were going to get ugly over the next few months and he didn't want to make things any worse. He had no idea how he was going to fight for custody, but he knew by the end if it, he'd be able to at least say he'd tried everything within his power, win or lose.

He pulled up to a spot by Kamekona's shrimp truck, it was evening and everything was shut down. He checked his phone for a message from Steve, glancing out of his window and upwards like he'd be able to see the plane coming in, even though it would be hours yet before Steve got home.

There was no message but his phone shrilled and Chin's I.D came up on the screen.

"Hey Chin," Danny said lightly upon answering.

Chin was more than panicked, sounding scared, desperate and Danny gripped the wheel, unused to hearing the man so upset. A feeling developed in his stomach, instinctively knowing something was desperately wrong. It took a few minutes to understand what he was saying.

"Okay, okay," Danny said shakily. "Which hospital are you at?"

He nodded along as Chin told him, revving up the car before stopping short again. It was like time held still for a long drawn out moment as Chin explained himself further.

"Where Chin, you need to tell me exactly where?"

As Chin explained Danny got the car going, pulling away, phone cradled between his shoulder and cheek as he reversed quickly. He spun the car around and put his foot down, not even answering Chin before he hung up and re-dialled for HPD, barking out orders for search parties and the coast guard as he quickly explained to Duke what was going on. He wanted to throw up, not letting his thoughts cloud up with what ifs as he made his way along the coastline to where Chin had told him to go.

He parked the car violently, jumping out and sprinted down the dock. He came to a pause, seeing a small boat just off the pier and without thought climbed into it, unhooking the rope. Before he started it up be got out his phone, trying Steve but it beeped into 'no signal'. Frustratedly he sent a hurried text.

~

Steve sat back in the plane, closing his eyes, letting the droning of the engines wash over him, as if the sound could wash away his erratic thoughts. He pulled in deep slow breaths, tried not to think too much, fingers clenched on the arm rest of his seat. Three rows behind Joe sat, with _her_. Steve didn't move a muscle, neck tight, forcing himself not to turn around merely to convince himself she wasn't an apparition.

He opened his eyes, looked out of the window, clouds blocked the view, stretching out for miles, like white, comforting mountains he'd gladly exit the plane to walk over. Anything to get out of the tin can that held too much of his past within it's walls. So many questions to be asked, so many answers to be sought, yet the only word in his mind he could direct to those two people behind him was why?

He got out his phone and glanced at it, the 'new message' icon appearing on the screen. He didn't need to go into his messages to know it was a text fom Danny and the thought of Danny waiting for him back home gave him some small comfort. He flicked his thumb over the buttons to read the text.

_'You need to come home. Now.'_

Danny didn't know who Steve was bringing home with him. Steve hadn't been able to tell him over the phone. He'd said it was because it was an open, unsecure line, but the truth was Steve couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. He needed to tell Danny face to face. The word 'mom' still felt foreign on his tongue after all the years of it not being in his vocabulary. He'd managed to keep his voice stable enough to avoid Danny rising into a panic or accusing him of holding out on him again. Steve knew Danny was going through his own shit, but he really wished he'd taken him to Japan this time with him.

'There is no 'on my own' in partnership' Danny had griped at him in the car only days before.

He was so right. And right now, Steve needed that partnership, that friendship that he had with the man to steer him through the next few months.

~  
Danny turned on the full beam light at the end of the boat, angrily turned on the engine and headed out onto the water. His heart beat hard in his chest and he sat down, biting his lower lip and forcing himself not to think of the worst. He couldn't deal with this, not alone, not like this. He needed Steve, needed the stability his partner gave him in scenarios like this. The hand on his shoulder silently assuring him things were going to be okay.

As he drove the water got choppy and in the distance he could see shapes of boats on the water, search beams already spreading out over the blackness. As he drew near a voice boomed out at him telling him to slow the boat down and I.D himself. Danny felt like time was slowing down, like it seemed an age as he explained who he was and why he was there. Eventually the coast guard pulled a boat up by him and let him climb aboard.

There was little that could be done in the pitch black but Danny sat by the search light, scanning every inch of water, desperate to find some sign of life. Time ticked by too quickly, each second adding to his anxiety. He heard the crackling of the radio, the hushed voices of the men huddled on the deck as they communicated to each other.

One glanced his way before hurriedly looking away, more words exchanged, more wary eyes settling on him. Danny put his hand on his pocket, the heavy presence of his phone pressing against his leg. Fuck why wasn't Steve there? Chin? He needed his team. He couldn't deal with this alone. No fucking way could he handle being the one dealing with this first. For a moment he hated them all for leaving him to fly solo on this. Gripping the phone like it was his only connection to Steve he jumped to his feet.

"What? What is it?" Danny yelled, drawing closer to the men who stopped talking suddenly and turned to him, eyes telling him all he needed to know. This wasn't happening, it was all some bad dream, a culmination of events that had been spinning out of control. It was just stress, a nervous breakdown, him losing it. He'd rather be losing his mind than this all be real.

"We've found her," someone told him.

Danny blinked and looked at the man who'd spoken. The captain, an older man, silver hair peeking out under his cap. He had kind eyes, wrinkled and creased at the side, a craggy mouth, cheeks slightly sunken. Broad shoulders, toned arms, an old tat peeking out under the short sleeve of his t-shirt. Danny instinctively knew he was ex Navy, he had the air of military life about him, reminding him of Joe. The man drew nearer to him, eyes soft and sympathetic, lying a hand on his arm as if to give comfort.

"I'm sorry son."

~

Steve stretched, heading out of the plane without a backward glance. Behind him he could hear the hushed voices of Joe and _her_ but he couldn't stomach waiting for them to catch up. Instead he hurried along, out into the open air, taking in a deep breath and scanning the scene of the runway for Danny.

Setting eyes on the man Steve felt a wave of relief thrum through him, taking the steps of the plane as quickly as he could and almost sprinting over the tarmac. But as he drew near he instantly knew something was wrong, Danny looked at him with dog tired eyes, red and bloodshot. What the fuck had happened?

"Danny?" Steve asked warily as he drew near.

Danny stood straighter, trying to give him a weak smile as a welcome home. But his arms were folded like he was hugging himself and he couldn't hold Steve's gaze.

"What's wrong? Is it Grace?" Steve asked quickly.

Danny shook his head and swallowed down, Steve could see he was fighting back tears. Steve reached out to him and put his hands on his shoulders, focusing on him, knowing it was something serious but at a loss as to what it could be.

"Danno?" he said quietly.

"Kono's dead," Danny said quickly, the words coming out on a choked whisper.

Steve stared at him, unfocused, unable to process the words. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, fingers gripping into Danny's shoulders.

"What? What?" Steve muttered, head shaking again. "What are you talking about? Kono - what - Danny-?"

"It was Delano, he got to Chin, took Malia and Kono," Danny explained, tripping over his words as he looked at him, tears blurring his vision. "Chin's at the hospital. They shot Malia, they don't know if she'll pull through. Delano dumped Kono in the water, coast guard found her a couple of hours ago."

Steve shook his head again, like if he shook himself hard enough he'd wake up from the nightmare.

"No, no," he said darkly, fingers tight on Danny's shoulders like it were the only thing holding him up. "No, Delano's in prison. How could he - ? No Danny, no."

Danny let out a choked sound and grabbed him, pulling him into him, arms wrapped solidly around him, face buried into his shoulder. Steve held him tight, staring out into the distance, the bright lights of the airport terminal dazzling his sight as they held each other.

This wasn't happening.

~

Danny sat in the car and watched Steve exchange a few words with Joe. He watched Joe nod grimly, not really focusing on the man, just Steve, who tense, on edge. Danny glanced at the person standing beside them, he hadn't noticed them before. Who was it? Shelburne? Another piece of the puzzle that had been bothering Steve for months now. Steve finished talking and turned back to the car, sliding into the drivers seat.

He pulled on his belt, turned on the engine and turned to look at Danny, reaching out a hand and squeezing his shoulder for moral support. 

"Let's go to the hospital," Steve said gruffly, putting both hands on the wheel now and pulling away from the airport. "Does Chin know?"

"Yeah," Danny said in a small voice. "This is all so fucked up Steve."

"I know," Steve agreed, eyes on the road, desperately trying to hold back tears and anger. All his feelings, emotions were tumbling out of control inside him and he wasn't sure how he was going to get through the next few hours.

"Who was that?" Danny asked after some minutes of silence, both of them lost in thought. "With Joe at the airport? Is she part of this Shelburne business?"

"She is Shelburne," Steve said through gritted teeth. He couldn't bring himself to tell Danny it was also his mother. Not yet, maybe under different circumstances he could have. But they were dealing with enough shit and he didn't have any answers to give Danny on how it was possible. He didn't understand himself. He glanced at Danny was was processing this revelation himself and gave a small shake of his head. "I'll explain it all later. Right now, lets just focus on Chin, Kono and where the fuck Delano is now."

"Duke's keeping me updated," Danny told him. "Got some of the best detectives and officers working on finding him. The Island's all but locked down, but he had a good head start Steve. What if he's off the Island already?"

"Took me years to track down the Hesse brothers, Wo Fat," Steve growled as they pulled up to the hospital. He pulled violently into a space and shut off the engine, looking at Danny closely. "I don't care how long it takes, we'll find him."

~  
Chin sat in an empty room, a sole light switched on the corner, keeping the room dim and muted. Outside nurses and doctors roamed the halls, but inside the room everything was still and silent save for his nervous breaths. He sat in a dark corner, hunched over, head in his hands. Malia was in surgery and the doctors couldn't give him any news other than they were doing the best they could. She'd lost a lot of blood from the gunshot wound, despite his efforts to tame the flow.

Her blood still stained his fingernails although he'd quickly washed down in the hospital bathrooms. He sunk down lower into his seat, feeling his phone vibrate against his thigh in his pocket. He couldn't bring himself to talk to anyone. He'd yet to call Malia's brother to tell him what had happened, couldn't contemplate explaining to her parents about the situation. 

Nothing could compel him to call his own family. How did he even beging to explain what he'd done? This was beyond forgiveness, no matter that the family bond. It was still fragile from the years of hiding the truth about himself, his uncle and the money. He'd made a choice and because of it Kono had died. Malia's blood stained his fingernails, but Kono's blood soaked his skin and seeped right into him, he'd never wash himself clean of her death.

He gasped out a sob and struggled to hold himself together. There was a tap on the door and he shot upright, about to snap out an angry dismissal for being disturbed unless it was the doc. Instead he gripped at the armrests of his seat as first Danny, then Steve walked in the room, Steve closing the door firmly behind him.

The air fizzed with unspoken accusation, questions, excuses, pity and sympathy. Chin pushed up onto his feet, receiving a sympathetic look from Danny as he edged around the room.

"Hey," Danny said quietly.

"Hi," Chin replied. It seemed like a strange thing to say under the circumstances, welcoming each other when there was so much death and grief in the air.

He looked at Steve, who looked so tightly wound he'd snap or explode into a million peices. Steve drew away from the door, around the small coffee table situated on the floor. His boots squeaked against the waxed flooring as he made a slow approach. Chin winced at the expression on his face, eyes boring into him, asking a thousand questions, none of them Chin could answer.

"Steve," he began with a shrug of his shoulders, lifting his hands defensively.

"Don't," Steve growled out, low, through gritted teeth. He moved suddenly, hands twisting into Chin's shirt, dragging him to one side and pushing him forcefully up against the wall. "What the fuck Chin?"

"I'm sorry," Chin gasped out, useless, fruitless words but it was all he had left to say. He sagged under the other mans hold, unresistant. "I don't, I couldn't-."

"Sorry doesn't bring her back you son of a bitch," Steve said quietly, sounding sad and helpess, face close, eyes glistening with tears. "Sorry doesn't make it right."

"Steve," Danny's voice cut between them. Hands wrapped around his arms gently. "Steve that's enough. It isn't his fault. Delano did this, not Chin. Come on babe. Come on, let him go."

"I'm sorry," Chin muttered again, over and over, like a litany, leaning against the wall, his own hands gripping at Steve's shoulders for support.

Steve's hands didn't let go of his shirt, not until Steve had pulled him violently forward into him, muttering apologies of his own into his neck. Chin took comfort in the moment, letting himself be held as Steve hugged him tightly. He understood Steve's anger and frustration, didn't blame him for blaming him. But he also knew Steve and Danny would both be there to see him through this.

~

Danny made the calls to Malia's family. They'd decided between them all that until things settled, they'd not go into detail of what exactly had happened. For now they'd tell Malia's family that she'd been shot after an attack that had occurred at the house and get them over to the hospital.

"They're on the way," Danny told Chin as he finished the call.

Steve moved away from the window and sat down by him, an arm around his shoulders.

"Want me to go see Kono's family?" Steve asked Danny quietly.

Danny sat up and looked at him closely, a weak smile on his lips at the offer. "It's going to be difficult, for either one of us."

"It should be me," Chin said meekly from opposite them.

"You're dealing with enough as it is," Steve told him. "I'll go."

"I'll come with you," Danny said at that.

"Chin needs someone to stay here with him," Steve pointed out.

"It's okay," Chin replied. "Going to be a few hours yet before the Doc's can tell me anything. Malia's family will be here soon. You two go, then go home and get some rest. I'll call you if there's anything to report."

"Chin," Danny began.

"Seriously brah," Chin said, looking him in the eye. "I'd feel better knowing neither of you were flying solo when you break the news to them. Please, if you're going to do it, then go together."

~

A few hours later Steve pulled up to the house, his energy was beginning to fade and his legs felt like lead as he headed for the house, Danny close behind him. Neither of them spoke of the painful moments explaining to Kono's mother about her death. Steve had promised they'd find her murderer, sworn it on his life, because he meant it. If it took him the rest of his days to find the bastard, he'd track Delano down and make him pay. He made no promises about letting him live, that was if they took him alive. 

They both needed rest, Danny had made a quick call to the hospital for progress and there'd been some good news at least. Malia was out of surgery and stable, though not out of complete danger yet, but the doctors sounded optimistic.

"Let's hit the sack for a few hours," Steve muttered, punching in the alarm code. "Then I'll call HPD, get updated and see where we begin."

Danny didn't answer, just followed him mutely upstairs, hovering in the doorway of the bedroom until Steve ushered him further in, closing the door. Danny was dead on his feet, eyes aimlessly roving, unfocused. Steve pulled back the covers of the bed, pushing him down, taking off his shoes for him.

"We should go see her," Danny said quietly as Steve made him lie down. "The coroner took her, I didn't get much of a chance -."

"Tomorrow Danny," Steve said with a shake of his head. "Get some sleep and we'll deal with it all in a few hours."

Steve walked around the bed, kicked off his own shoes and slid under the covers, too tired to bother undressing himself. He pulled a sheet up over the both of them and Danny turned onto his side, back to him, curling up a little. Steve turned also, reaching out and resting a hand on his arm like he needed the connection. He felt Danny tremble slightly, knew he was crying and let him have his moment of grief, knowing he was there as a comfort. 

Eventually they both drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

~

Steve jumped awake, his phone shrilling loudly on the bedside cabinet. He reached out and grabbed it, answering on autopilot.

"McGarrett," he said, dog tired, like he'd went a few rounds in a fight and collapsed from exhaustion. Slowly the memories of the night came back to him, bombarding his senses as he rubbed his eyes. The events of the last few hours had drained him, physically, mentally and emotionally.

"Steven? It's me."

Steve frowned, sucked in a deep breath.

"I'm not ready to talk to you," Steve growled out forcefully.

"Is there ever going to be a good time to talk," she asked with a sigh, like she was losing patience with him. Steve sat up angrily and stared at the wall opposite, trying to focus on something solid.

"No, there fucking won't be," he yelled out. "Especially not right now. I've got a rogue criminal running around this fucking Island killing cops. The youngest member of my team was murdered last night, dumped into the fucking ocean and left to drown. Another of my teams wife was shot, left for dead and is making a slow recovery in an ICU. I've got people to find, I've got people who need comfort, so on my list of priorities, _you_ , are at the bottom. Considering you've been dead for the last seventeen years, a few more days thinking of you that way isn't going to make a difference."

"Steven," she tried again, but in the grand scheme of things, Steve found, she was small and insignificant.

"Call me again, I'll personally escort you off Oahu and you can go back to living in shadows."

He tossed the phone angrily accross the room in dismissal, watching it slam into the wall and fall to the floor with a clatter. He jumped when a hand landed on his arm, suddenly remembering Danny had crashed in the bed with him some time during the long night.

"Hey, you okay?" Danny asked confusedly, sitting up by him. "Who was that?"

"Nothing," Steve said shaking his head. "It was nobody."

His heart hammerred in his chest, limbs trembling and he fought to control his breathing. He'd lost his temper, the situation with his mother was so confusing, so fucknig ridiculous and he hadn't had a chance to make any logical explanation from it. Part of him couldn't forgive her, part of him felt fifteen again and in all of the chaotic craziness that her presence was creating, Steve was worrying about what the fuck Mary was going to say when she found out?

"Steve, who was it?" Danny asked, softer this time. "Talk to me, what's going on?"

Steve shook his head, biting his lip and putting a plug on his emotions. He couldn't lose control like that again. He needed to lockdown all the pent up feelings he was having, deal with them later, or they'd compromise him. Right now he needed a clear head, it was going to be a long couple of days. Mentally he had to compose and prepare himself.

"I can't Danny, I can't," he said, pulling away and swinging his legs off the bed. "Not yet, not right now."

"Steve," Danny started again and Steve pushed his feet angrily.

"I said it was nothing Danny," Steve barked out, heading for the en suite. "Just drop it."

He slammed the door behind him as if to end the conversation. He should have known Danny wouldn't let it stay dropped. He leaned on the counter and stared into the mirror before the door swung open suddenly behind him.

"Don't you fucking shut me out," Danny yelled at him as he stood framed by the door way. "Not today, not now, not while everything else is fucking crumbling down around us. You tell me what's going on or I call Joe and get him to explain it to me. Or better still, I'll go pay him and that woman a visit and get them both to explain it, because I'm pretty fucking sure this is all to do with them."

"Danny," Steve started to protest.

"Steve-," Danny cut him off just as quickly.

They were both running on emotions, adrenaline, the sleep had done nothing but fuel that within them. It was all that would make them get through the next couple of days.

"It's my mother all right," Steve shouted at him, turning around to face him. "That woman you saw, Shelburne, she's my mother Danny."

~

It seemed to take forever to walk down the hall of the coroners unit. Each step a lethargic gait through the hazy disbelief this was all really happening. They came to a pause at Max's door, expecting to find his stand in or assistant. Instead they were surprised to find the large, looming presence of Kamkekona hovering by Max's desk and Max himself sat awkwardly in his seat.

"Max?" Steve said in surprise. "Shouldn't you still be in the hospital?"

"Nah, busted him out brah," Kamekona said, giving him a look of satisfaction before his expression turned to sympathy. "We heard about little sister."

"When I found out about Officer Kalakaua, I wanted to be here personally to fill out the report," Max explained further in a gentle tone. He looked exhausted and in slight pain, but he looked both men in the eye, daring either of them to protest his presence.

Danny sighed and gave a shaky smile, "Thanks, both of you. I'm sure her family would appreciate that."

"I know I do," Steve agreed with a nod of his head.

"I needed to do this," Max replied, pushing to his feet slowly.

Kamekona moved to his side carefully watchign him. "Careful brah."

Max looked appreciative of his attention and gave a small nod at the gesture.

"Is she in there?" Steve asked warily, nodding towards the next room.

"Yes," Max replied with a slight hiss. Steve and Danny walked ahead of him, moving slowly themselves. 

In the middle of the room the table was covered with a sheet, the evident silhouette of a body beneath. The room was tidy, clinical as always yet the atmophere tingled with emotion as the four men entered.

"Her family have been informed," Max explained as he limped his way towards the table. "Her mother was too upset to come and officially identify her, an uncle came instead. I did not explain to him the intricacies of the situation, especially in light of Detective Kelly's involvement. I didn't think it would be my place to explain."

Steve nodded mutely and waited, Danny opposite him as Max slowly drew back the sheet. Though they knew who lay beneath, seeing her lying so lifeless and pale shocked them. Kamekona looked grimly down and then away, giving a shake of his head at the sight and drifting to one side. Danny stared down, hands balling into fists as his trained eye picked up on bruises, signs of struggle on her neck and shoulders, red irritations around her mouth where tape had gagged her.

Steve also picked up on the signs of attack, and he reached down and brushed fingers at her hair, her skin cold under his touch.

"Her hands and feet were bound with duct tape," Max said quietly. "A close aquaintance of mine was the coroner on the scene. He says that there was evidence that she tried to free herself of her bonds. She'd managed to remove the tape from her mouth and had began to remove it around her ankles but it had been used extensively."

Danny winced at the idea of it. Knowing she'd struggled and fought what had happened made him feel sick to his stomach. It would have just prolonged her suffering. But it also lit a sense of pride in him, that she fought to the death. It just shouldn't have ended this way.

Steve lifted his face and looked at Danny. Danny stared back mutely, fighting back tears. He'd cry later, right now, they had a case to catch up on and take control of.

"We should go to HPD headquarters," Steve said to him. "See what they have for us."

"I'd like to help, any way I can," Max said as Steve nodded.

"You are Max," Steve assured him, stopping him as he went to cover her back over with the sheet. "Just, take care of her okay. Make sure they look after her when they take her away."

~  
Danny drove, one hand on the wheel, the other worrying through his hair or darting from his face to the wheel to his knee. Steve knew emotionally the turmoil on them all was going to be ghastly to deal with over the next few months.

"We're going to get him Danny," Steve said as if his partner needed the assurance. "I promise you we'll find the son of a bitch."

"Yeah I know," Danny assured him. "It's just everything. Kono, Chin, Malia, you and this Shelburne business, me and Rachel. Why is this all happening now?"

"I don't know," Steve said with a shrug. "But we'll get through it. Have you spoken to Rachel about the custody?"

"No," Danny shook his head. "Aside from telling her I'll fight it, it's kind of been the last thing on my mind these last twelve hours."

"Danny," Steve began but Danny cut him off. 

"I'll deal with it when I have too," Danny said quickly. "Like you'll deal with Joe and your mom eventually. Right now, finding Delano and the people who've been working with him to create this fucking mess is priority."

"You don't think Rachel and Stan aren't going to use your putting the custody on a back burner right now as argument for their case?" Steve pointed out to him.

Danny pulled up sharply at a corner and glared at him. "Yeah, they probably will. But one of my team just got murdered and a rogue ex cop and convict did it. I want to find Delano as much as you do."

"I know that Danny," Steve said to him. "But you gotta tread careful here."

"I know that," Danny yelled, his temper thin already. "Don't you think I fucking know that? That their lawyers aren't going to throw everything at me to prove to some fuckng judge that whilst I'm a good parent some of the time, that my job is just too fucking dangerous. My daughter got kidnapped five months ago for gods sake. That will be the first thing they bring up. Believe me I know the odds aren't stacked in my favour, so please, I don't need you to point that all out to me."

"Danny-."

"Just, don't all right. I can't think about losing her right now. Not whilst all this fucking shit is going on."

"Okay," Steve agreed gently. "Just, you know I'm there for you right? When you do start dealing with it, you know I'll back you up all the way. Help out any way I can."

"I know," Danny nodded, giving him a small smile as he pulled off again. "Believe me I know that. And you know with this whole Shelburne business that I'm there for you right?"

"Yeah," Steve nodded in reply, looking out of the window with a sigh. "Yeah, I know. Thanks."

~  
 _One Week Later_

Danny checked his appearance in the mirror, hands smoothing over his shirt, tweaking at his collar. It was with a heavy heart he'd pressed his dress blues and buffed his boots until they shone the night before. Steve had been similarly busy, silent and musing as they'd prepared for the funeral. It had been a difficult week, stressful, exhausting and Delano was still at large. It was frustrating and made an angry bitterness settle in the pit of his stomach that he was, for the moment, beyond their reach.

He smoothed a hand through his hair, watched as Steve appeared behind him, buttoning up his suit, each button glinting in the light stealing through the blinds. Sighing, Danny turned, both of them summing one anothers appearance up with nods of approval. They were meeting the funeral procession at Kono's mothers home, where they'd leave from there to the cemetery for the service. It was a rare time for Chin to leave Malia's side at the hospital, she was out of ICU and on the road to recovery, but it would be some weeks before she was fully recovered.

"We should go," Steve said, picking up his cap. Danny nodded wryly, crossing the room to take up his own cap where it rested by Steve's.

"Hey, we'll get through this," Steve said, resting a hand on his shoulder and giving a squeeze. Danny wondered how they were coping, with everything that had gone on in the last week, so much in all their lives. How was it that the world still revolved, that the hours ticked by, that every day they woke up and got on with their lives and did their jobs?

~

Steve drove them to the Kalakaua home, cars already beginning to filter into the narrow street of the neighbourhood. Two limo's were already parked outside to escort close family to the cemetery. Steve parked up and they joined people hovering outside, spying Chin among them. He was putting on a brave front but Steve could see the anguish and guilt that haunted his eyes. He was in conversation with a couple, but Chin looked over to them, not following what people were saying. Eventually they moved on and the two of them gravitated to him, like silent guards for him to lean on.

"How's Malia?" Steve asked, wondering what conversation they could possibly have that wouldn't dissolve them all to tears. He feared if he even mentioned Kono's name that they'd all break apart. Later, tonight perhaps, but not now. Now they had to be strong, for Kono's family at least.

"Up and talking," Chin replied, a watery smile before he dipped his head and looked at the ground.

Danny put a hand on his shoulder silently and watched as the crowd began dissipating, Kono's mother and family filtering out from the house. Steve turned to face the road, the hearse slowly making it's arrival. He blinked, setting his jaw, biting down on the threat of tears and lump in his throat. 

The entire event felt so unreal.

~

Danny let the heavy weight of the coffin settle on his shoulder, finding his centre as they slowly manouevered around. A hand settled on his shoulder from behind, a silent assurance from Steve as they began the procession to her final resting place. On his opposite side another cousin bore the weight, behind him Chin and two other officers, close companions from rookie school completed the six bearers. The thick, sweet smell of lilies filled his nostrils as they made their way through the graves. It was madness Danny thought, that they should be here, such a waste of life, of talent, of someone whose life had been stolen so brutally away, from all of them.

The service passed in a blur, he barely paid attention, eyes boring straight ahead, out over the view of graves that gave way to the breathtaking beauty of the islands. Chin was on one side, Steve on the other, nearby the looming presence of Kamekona and beside him, Max. In the past few years, these people had welcomed him into their lives with open arms and he'd truly learned to understood the meaning of 'ohana'. Not only were they burying a partner, colleague, officer today, but a 'little sister' as Kamekona fittingly described her. Danny missed her smile, her teasing, the effortless way she took everything in her stride, soaking up every bit of advice they'd given her, determined to make her family, her team proud.

~

Chin sank into a lounge chair on Steve's lanai with a deep rooted sigh of exhaustion. He wasn't sure how he'd gotten through the day. After the service he'd spent hours with the family before returning to the hospital to be with his wife. Steve had urged him to come back to his place for a few hours and he'd arrived, weary to the bone, mentally, physically, emotionally. Danny had pressed a beer into his hand and sent him outside where Max and Kame already sat with drinks of their own.

For a time all five men sat in mutual silence as the day slipped into night, the sound of waves on the shoreline filtering up to them. Chin didn't remember who'd began the conversation, had barely paid much notice as one by one they swapped stories, of Kono, of working as a team, of being an _ohana_. He looked at them, the faces that bore the weight of grief but also of a knowing that for now, their lives would continue, somehow. That day followed night followed day followed night.

They all had their own problems, Danny with Rachel and the custody battle which no doubt would go on for months. Steve and this new revelation of his mother being alive and well, Chin couldn't even begin to understand or imagine what that must feel like for him. He looked at Max and Kamekona, in the last week, Kamekona had taken it upon himself to act like Max's saviour and sidekick, driving him anywhere he needed to go, ensuring he was taking care of himself as he went through his recovery. It was a strange but comforting friendship they had, that they fit into this disjointed group made so much sense. That they mourned Kono as deeply as he did, that Steve and Danny did, was a testament to how close they'd all become in so little a time.

There was so much to think about. How would he ever make up to his family, to himself the decision he made, going for Malia instead of Kono. For days he'd battled with thoughts and wonderings, had he gonefor Kono would Malia still have survived. Would it have made a difference? What kind of person did it make him? Would he ever wash the blood of Kono's death from his hands? The family didn't know the full truth, yet these men did and still they stood by him, gave him the support he craved but didn't feel he deserved.

Tomorrow would bring more questions, the guilt wouldn't slip or fade away, perhaps it would always be present. But they'd sleep and wake and continue searching for any clue of Delano's whereabouts. They'd continue as a team becuase it was their jobs. Danny would go to the courts and Steve would begin to unravel the mystery of his mother. Somehow, they'd make it through. 

Together.

~fin~


End file.
